"Vision is hard, craft is easy" defines the amateur.

"Vision is easy, craft is hard" defines the professional.

When you can easily do both, you are a master.

The above quote I picked up from a blog on the Tony Bridge website and it has stuck with me ever since. To me it really sums up not just the raw talent and skills needed to become a great photographer, but the endless journey one embarks upon when choosing photography as a career. Of course to choose such a career path takes much more than the need to make a living through hard work as the above clearly indicates. So it seems that no mater how long I take pictures or how hard I want to learn, the road to greatness (I wish) will be an endless trek. A bit disheartening really but hey, at least it will be great fun taking all those photographs along the way.

http://www.thistonybridge.com/

I started out getting up early with all the enthusiasm I could muster at 4:30 in the morning and travelling in the hope I would arrive in time to catch the sun rising, shoot to my hearts content and the magical morning colours have faded then off to the local cafe for breekie and a coffee. Those were the days but it wasn't going to last forever. There comes a time when photographing landscapes wont cut it and photographing people seems like a much more interesting prospect.

This change in my photographic evolution can be quite an intimidating prospect. The thought of adverse reactions and invading a persons privacy buy shoving a camera in a persons face (even from a distance) can rattle the nerves. My family, friends and even pets suffered as they faced a lens around every corner so it didn't take long to wear out my welcome.

Incurring the wrath of family was much easier to cope with than that of a stranger but with my photographic subjects all worn out it was once again a fast looming possibility. Those who pickup a camera for the first time and a new reality dawns as the passion takes hold, must surely be faced with the same issues. This is how it starts and possibly how it ends. The journey is always going to be about pushing the limits, (mentally and technically) learning to see, visualise and create. Then there's the ability to communicate, visualise and manipulate and all this is only just the beginning. OK so now its obvious its not an easy road, and if you turn pro, not and easy way to make a buck but it in my book it surely rates as one of the most satisfying of occupations.

I really cannot speak for everyone else but its the best thing I have ever done.

How many people have the opportunity to make there passion there job???

Its fantastic.

To be continued

PATIENCE!! One of those lessons we all have to learn and to be honest, its not easy at times. All I want to do is be out there shooting and once I am there and doing it, it flows naturally. My partner is an artist and and a dam good one but man do I envy her. She has the ability to pull up a canvas when ever she wants and go to town. Not me. What I want to do relies on close co-ordination with other people to get the timing, weather and all those little details that have to come together at the right time so to not be out there shooting when ever I want can be frustrating.

That's all I have to say about that. I don't want to be accused of harping on to much about time and the lack of it so I may have to become an artist I think, so here is my first painting.



Yeah OK so it may not be what you were expecting but back in my school art class days, I had a bit of a rep with a pencil, but as soon as the colour hit he paper, all visual hell broke loose. Peoples long held anticipation of what was to be turned into what they wished they hadn't seen. So there's not alot of paint if any in that image.

Well its Saturday, I am not working and have no pics lined up. Here I am complaining about lack of output and I have failed to act when I have time to shoot. I do have a couple of nieces heading over this way for the week end so will see what chances there are for a few portraits. I know there mother is always chuffed when she walks away with images of her two girls.


Portraits always seem to have something missing. Yes I know its the person in the raw and with no distractions one cant get more of the person in an image than in a portrait. I suppose I'm wanting the subjects personality to really shine through or even for a piece of that persons life to be shared with those who choose to look.

Here I have three portraits that are what could be called good representations of the persons involved, but lack any insight into the people themselves. Who are they? what information about these individuals can be extracted from theses images? What do these images say about these people? Besides the obvious things such as the emotional content, hair and there general appearance, there's not much else to see if the viewer goes looking.

The two images above give the viewer little more to work with. These were a part of a series of life portraits aimed to add that little bit more into each image. They were aimed at capturing a fragment of each individual, something that featured strongly in there lives.

I would like to take this a step further one day, to be able to sit down with someone and talk about the major events they believe have shaped there lives so as to add this to each image. Its the essence of an individuals personality that makes them who they are, there journey through like. I want to find a way of capturing that, to invoke an emotional response for the subject when discussing there life and once again when they view the image. After all, isn't that what portraiture is all about??

Hey there, Been a while since my last post but before I start, here is an updated image of the little guy in my previous post but this time without the kitchen sink.







Photos or the lack of is my problem at the moment. I have had a bit of a kick in the pants with the job situation as of late so have decided its just the nudge I needed to push hard on my personal work but do you think I have been able to get just one image shot?? NO WAY. Models are in short supply, being a male means no trendy clothing and the lack of time all add to result in no pics. So yes the frustration builds.

I would like to start a TFP (time for prints) group here in Whakatane in the hope of really opening up the photographic possibilities for all concerned. I have had an expression of interest from a local hairdresser a while ago and have approached a local fashion designer but nothing has come of that as yet. I did meet an artist in Tauranga who often seeks out models for her to photograph for painting purposes but with no photographic knowledge, I have offered to step in, in the hope we both end up with good material to work with. As you may have guessed I am keen to build an extensive portfolio showcasing a variety of portraiture, fashion and conceptual images so will post some if I ever get there. Commercial work has me on the go so I have no time to get onto trouble.

The artist. She was glad to be able to update her profile picture on her website.http://www.lisachristiansen.co.nz/